Information Processing Apparatus and Security Protection Method

1. An information processing apparatus comprising: an input module configured to receive a password for authenticating users who can utilize the information processing apparatus; a biometric authentication device comprising a storage module configured to store biometric information in order to authenticate users who can utilize the information processing apparatus, wherein the biometric authentication device authenticates a user who inputs his or her biometric information as a user who can utilize the information processing apparatus if the input biometric information corresponds to the biometric information stored in the storage module, and identification information to determine whether or not the authentication using a password input via the input module can be substituted by the authentication using biometric information performed by this biometric authentication device; and an authentication controller configured to set and retain identification information in the storage module of the biometric authentication device and to permit substituting the authentication using the password input via the input module by the authentication using biometric information performed by the biometric authentication device if the identification information held in the authentication controller and the identification information stored in the storage module of the biometric authentication device match, wherein the authentication controller comprises a registering module configured to provide the identification information retained in the authentication controller to the biometric authentication device, and to cause the identification information to be stored in the storage module of the biometric identification device, if the authentication using the password input via the input module is successful and the authentication using biometric information performed by the biometric authentication device is also successful, and wherein the authentication controller further comprises a notifying module configured to output a message of warning about a possibility of the biometric authentication device being replaced without authorization, if the authentication by the biometric authentication device is not successful because the identification information in the information processing apparatus and the identification information stored in the storage module of the biometric authentication device do not match.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the authentication controller is in a basic input/output system (BIOS).

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the biometric authentication device is a fingerprint authentication device.

4. A security protection method of an information processing apparatus comprising a memory, an input module configured to receive a password for authenticating users who can utilize the information processing apparatus and a biometric authentication device comprising a storage module configured to store biometric information and identification information to authenticate users who can utilize the information processing apparatus, wherein the biometric authentication device authenticates a user who inputs his or her biometric information as a user who can utilize the information processing apparatus if the input biometric information corresponds to the biometric information stored in the storage module, and wherein the storage module stores identification information to determine whether or not the authentication using a password input via the input module can be substituted by the authentication using biometric information performed by this biometric authentication device, the method comprising: setting identification information in the storage module of the biometric authentication device, causing the identification information to be retained in the memory, and permitting the authentication using the password input via the input module to be substituted by the authentication using biometric information performed by the biometric authentication device when the saved identification information in the memory and the identification information stored in the storage module of the biometric authentication device match, providing the identification information retained in the memory to the biometric authentication device and causing the information to be stored in the storage module, if the authentication using the password input via the input module is successful and the authentication using biometric information performed by the biometric authentication device is also successful, and outputting a message of warning about a possibility of the biometric authentication device being replaced without authorization, if the authentication by the biometric authentication device is not successful because the identification information in the information processing apparatus and the identification information stored in the storage module of the biometric authentication device do not match.